


sweet tooth

by etselec



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Hospitals, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-28
Updated: 2015-06-28
Packaged: 2018-04-06 13:22:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4223313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/etselec/pseuds/etselec
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Dude, who the fuck is that?”</p>
<p>“What?” Mikey asked, pumping caramel messily into a cup. </p>
<p>Gerard sighed, grabbing the mug from Mikey and finishing the rest of the order. He clamped a top over the cup and handed it to the customer. “That guy I just served over there. He was hot.”</p>
<p>Mikey craned his neck to look over the counter. “You mean Mr. Hand Tattoos over there?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	sweet tooth

“Vanilla iced coffee?” the person upfront asked.

Gerard tapped a few things into the cash register before smiling. “$5.00.”

The man handed out a crumpled up $5 bill and smiled right back at him. “Thanks.”

Gerard handed him his drink and watched as he sat down at a table, pulling out his laptop. He ran a hand through his short red hair and turned to his co-worker and brother, Mikey. “Dude, who the fuck is that?”

“What?” Mikey asked, pumping caramel messily into a cup.

Gerard sighed, grabbing the mug from Mikey and finishing the rest of the order. He clamped a top over the cup and handed it to the customer. “That guy I just served over there. He was hot.”

Mikey craned his neck to look over the counter. “You mean Mr. Hand Tattoos over there?”

Gerard nodded, taking another order. “I’ve never seen him in here before.”

Mikey rolled his eyes, pouring tea. “Who cares? You’ll never see him again.”

“Don’t think like that, Mikey,” Gerard leaned over the counter and caught the gaze of tattooed guy. He waved awkwardly before ducking down behind the counter.

“God, you’re fucking embarrassing,” Mikey mumbled, handing the hot tea to the customer.

Gerard stuck his tongue out at him when Mikey had his back turned. “Dickhead.”

“You suck at flirting,” Mikey added, untying his apron and hanging it on the wall, “and you have no track of time. Shift’s over.”

“Oh, uh, yeah,” Gerard hung his apron up and followed Mikey to the back and grabbed his bag. He noticed tattooed guy was still there, typing away on his laptop and sipping his vanilla iced coffee. Gerard didn’t know doing simple everyday tasks could be so cute.

Gerard got one last look at the tattooed guy before following Mikey back to their car. They lived together in an apartment which sucked for the most part, but at least Gerard didn’t have to pay full rent.

Once they got back home, Gerard immediately crashed down on the couch. He watched as Mikey paced around before finally grabbing his sweatshirt.

“Wait, wait where are you going?” Gerard asked, propping himself up.

“Pete’s,” Mikey said quietly.

Gerard grinned. “Your _boyfriend_?”

Mikey scowled at Gerard before muttering something under his breath. “Whatever, Gerard. At least I’m not single like you.”

“Damn, that was fucking harsh,” Gerard folded his arms across his chest as he lay slumped on the couch. He pushed hair out of his face and got up deciding he wasn’t going to spend his day sitting around watching TV.

He followed Mikey to the front door as he grumbled a goodbye to Gerard. Gerard shut the door behind him and sighed, padding over to the kitchen and taking a can of Coke out of the fridge.

\--

Gerard and Mikey got to work the next day bright and early.

“Fuck, I need coffee,” Gerard mumbled, tying his apron on.

“You work at a fucking coffee shop,” Mikey snapped at him, fixing his hair rather violently, almost pulling on it.

Gerard raised his eyebrows. “Jeez, no need to get snappy.”

Mikey’s shoulders fell as he brought a crate of coffee mugs to the counter. “I’m sorry, Gee.”

“Things not go well with Pete?” Gerard asked.

Mikey sighed, fiddling with his apron. “Things went fine, I just… I can’t tell if he likes me or not.”

Gerard rolled his eyes.

The bell chimed overhead and a girl stepped in, ordering a white chocolate mocha. She thanked Brendon, who was manning the cash register.

Gerard refilled the caramel tub and sighed. He wondered if that tattooed guy would ever step foot in the coffee shop ever again. It was very unlikely-- this coffee shop was in a small neighborhood and he was probably just passing by on the way to a friend’s house or something.

Just as Gerard thought that, the bell chimed and the _same_ tattooed guy walked in, hands in his pocket wearing a band t-shirt and skinny jeans. He slipped off his sunglasses and propped them on the top of his head.

He looked like he just rolled out of bed and Gerard was totally into it. He set the cup he was holding down and pushed Brendon away from the cash register.

“Hi, how can I help you?” Gerard asked, smiling.

“Vanilla iced coffee,” he said before adding quietly to himself, “again.”

Gerard tapped it into the cash register. “$5.00.” As the guy handed Gerard the money, Gerard blurted out, “you were in here yesterday, weren’t you?”

Tattooed guy blushed. “Yeah I, uh, really liked the iced coffee.”

Gerard yelled the order to Mikey who mumbled something about Gerard being an idiot.

“What’s your name?” Gerard asked since there were no other customers at 10AM on a Saturday.

Tattooed guy accepted the iced coffee from Mikey and turned back to Gerard. “Frank.”

“I’m Gerard,” he replied, tapping on his nametag with his finger. “It’s nice to meet you, Frank. Enjoy your iced coffee.”

“Thanks Gerard,” Frank said, eyes bright, stirring his iced coffee with his straw.

Frank plopped himself down at a table and pulled his laptop out again like he did yesterday. Gerard watched him slowly sip his drink while he typed away.

Then Brendon punched him.

Well, in the shoulder.

It hurt, though. “Ow, what the hell?”

“If you’re gonna take my spot today, you’re doing it for the rest of your shift,” Brendon gestured to the line of impatient customers.

“Fuck,” Gerard grumbled before turning to serve them.

\--

Gerard rolled out of bed the next morning, ran a comb through his messy red hair and joined Mikey in the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee into his travel mug. “Hey, Mikes.”

“Hey, Gee,” Mikey twisted the cap on his travel mug and grabbed his jacket, “ready to go?”

“Yeah,” Gerard said, yawning.

Mikey sighed. “I still can’t believe that guy came back.”

“You mean Frank?” Gerard asked as he hopped into the passenger seat (he didn’t really know why Mikey always chose to drive, but he just went with it).

“Whatever.”

Brendon was already playing some music in the background when they both got to the shop.

“Brendon, we’re here,” Gerard called, tying on his apron, “nice song choice, by the way.”

Mikey nodded as if Brendon could see from wherever he was.

Gerard had the cash register for the second half of his shift and he was a little upset about it at first because what if Frank came in early again like yesterday and Gerard wasn’t there to flirt with him?

But Frank didn’t appear for a while when Gerard began to worry that Frank wasn’t coming in and the last two days were just a fluke.

Just as Gerard just started to get to the register, Frank walked in.

But he wasn’t alone.

Gerard tried to keep a smile on as Frank wrapped an arm around the shoulders of  a girl and laughed into her hair.

“Hey Gerard,” Frank smiled, “vanilla iced coffee?”

The girl smacked Frank on the arm as if she was upset at his choice of drink, like they would run out.

Frank swatted her hand away and handed Gerard the $5 before he could even say the price.

“Thanks, Frank,” Gerard gritted through his teeth, “nice of you to bring your girlfriend this time.” Gerard needed to stay positive, he _had_ to.

The girl behind let out a loud laugh, followed by a short giggle from Frank.

“Jamia’s not my girlfriend,” Frank said calmly.

“ _Fuck_ no,” the girl--Jamia--added, “no way in hell, Iero.”

Gerard turned red. “Oh, um, sorry to assume things.”

“It’s okay, dude,” Jamia grinned. She then ordered a green iced tea and stood next to Frank, giggling.

Mikey handed them their drinks. He smiled before leaning in close to Gerard. “Way to go, Gerard.”

“Shut up, asshole,” Gerard mumbled, serving the next customer.

\--

Frank came in the next day… and the next… and the next. Soon enough he had become a regular customer for about a month.

He ordered the same goddamn thing-- vanilla iced coffee, before sitting down at a table and typing shit on his laptop.

Gerard had learned that Frank had just moved in to town and worked at the record store a few blocks down and came in everyday before walking in to work.

Gerard’s crush on Frank only grew every time he came in and ordered his iced coffee. Mikey teased Gerard endlessly about Frank and urged him everyday to ask him out because _clearly_ to Mikey, Frank liked him.

What the hell did Mikey know?

Frank walked in at his usual time and smiled. “Hey Gerard, hi Mikey.”

Mikey nodded and Gerard waved. “The usual, Frankie?” he asked.

Gerard swore that Frank blushed. “Er, yeah, thanks.”

Mikey was already making the vanilla iced coffee before Gerard could even accept the $5 from Frank.

“Thanks Frank!” Gerard said happily, “how’s work at the record store?”

“Great,” Frank perked up, his eyes bright again, “oh, um we have live bands that play in the store sometimes, you know?” he bit his lip as he took the iced coffee from Gerard. He continued once Gerard nodded “my band’s playing next Friday night. You could come see us… ah, if you want.”

“Oh?” Gerard tried not to squirm around too much-- he did that when he was excited, “I’d love to, Frank.”

Frank blinked, turning his head away to hide his blush. “Cool, uh, I’ll see you then?”

“Friday night?”

“Friday night,” Frank repeated blinking back up at Gerard, “oh, uh, at 7PM.”

Gerard tapped his fingers against the counter. “I’ll be there.”

“Cool, thanks,” Frank took his iced coffee to the table.

Mikey locked eyes with Gerard. “Fucking finally,” he whispered.

“Shut up, you’re jealous.”

Mikey rolled his eyes, washing a mug. “Totally.”

\--

The next day, Frank didn’t come in.

Gerard shrugged this off.

\--

The day after, Frank wasn’t there either.

It was a Tuesday. Gerard didn’t worry too much about it either.

\--

Wednesday, Frank wasn’t there.

\--

Thursday was when Gerard began to worry. “Mikey?”

“Yup?” Mikey asked at the register.

“Do you think Frank’ll come in today?”

“Don’t know, don’t care,” Mikey replied before saying the customer’s order to Gerard over his shoulder.

Sure enough, Frank didn’t come in and order his vanilla iced coffee.

When Gerard and Mikey got home, Gerard was even more anxious. “I should’ve gotten his number.”

“Yes,” Mikey said, clearly annoyed.

“Maybe it’s nothing,” Gerard pointed out to Mikey who wasn’t really paying attention, “maybe he’s just too busy practicing for his performance.”

Mikey sighed. “Yeah, well--”

“But,” Gerard interrupted, “he would’ve reminded me of the performance today, right?”

Mikey stood up. “I’m going to Pete’s.”

“What, why?” Gerard asked.

“You’re being annoying,” Mikey answered. He went to grab his sweatshirt and left their apartment without another word.

Gerard frowned and switched on the TV to distract himself from Frank.

\--

On Friday, Gerard walked into work worried as hell. “I hope he comes in today. He _has_ to, right?”

Mikey nodded. “Of course he does, Gerard.”

“Mikey this is serious,” Gerard was close to shaking, “I’m kind of worried.”

“Stop worrying, Frank’s probably fine. Maybe something came up,” Mikey said, handing an iced tea to a pink-haired girl.

“I hope so,” Gerard mumbled, trying to think of other things to get his mind off Frank. Maybe Mikey was right this time. Something could’ve come up and since Frank doesn’t have Gerard’s number, he couldn’t have told him. “Should I still go to the show tonight?”

“I don’t care, whatever you want,” Mikey sighed, walking into the back room of the shop.

Brendon appeared from the back room to take over the cash register.

“Should I go to the show tonight, Brendon?”

Brendon rolled his eyes. “This is why I ask to stay back there.”

Gerard blinked at him. “Jeez.”

“Yes, _yes,_ Gerard, maybe your boyfriend or whatever’ll show up,” Brendon said, “now can you shut up and do your job?”

“Okay, okay,” Gerard picked up the washcloth and mug, “sorry.”

\--

Gerard arrived at the record store late--ten minutes late, in fact. It was too quiet for there to be a performance happening _right_ now. He looked around and noticed it was just a few couples shopping for records and a punk dude at the cash register.

He nodded to the dude and walked around the corner to see the stage only to find it… empty.

Gerard frowned, slowly making his way to the middle. He suddenly noticed that girl, Jamia, Frank was with towards the left of the stage.

“Hey,” Gerard ran up to her, “you’re Frank’s friend, right?”

Jamia frowned before nodding.

“Isn’t he supposed to have a show tonight?”

Jamia’s eyes widened. “Oh, God, you don’t know, don’t you?”

Gerard tilted his head in confusion. “Don’t know what?”

“Frank’s in the hospital,” Jamia fiddled with the hem of her skirt.

Gerard’s stomach dropped. “Oh my God. Why?”

Jamia sighed. “Frank has Type 1 diabetes. So basically, his blood pressure got too high and he had a heart attack on Monday. I was at his house at the time and took him to the hospital and he was well enough to come back home that night.”

Gerard nodded, swallowing.

“Then on Tuesday he had another heart attack,” Jamia continued, “and he immediately became unconscious. He’s been in some kind of coma since then.”

“Oh, God, I’m so sorry, I would’ve never known,” Gerard mumbled, staring at his shoes.

“It’s fine,” Jamia placed her hand on Gerard’s shoulder, “hey you should visit him. He’s at the hospital downtown.”

“I think I will,” Gerard swallowed another lump in his throat, “thank you, ah, Jamia, was it?”

“Yeah,” Jamia smiled, “Gerard, right?”

Gerard nodded.

Jamia started to laugh. “Frank talks about you. I’m pretty sure he has a massive crush on you or something.”

Gerard turned pink. “Oh, um--”

“I’ll see you around, Gerard,” Jamia said, sending Gerard off, “bye!”

Gerard blinked. “Oh, uh, bye.” He stumbled out of the record store, anxious and flustered at the same time.

Once he got into the car, he dialed up Mikey’s number. He then told Mikey everything that had happened.

“Shit, dude, you gonna visit him or what?” Mikey said.

“Tomorrow I’ll go,” Gerard prompted, “we don’t have work that day, right?”

“Yeah, no work,” Mikey answered.

“Cool, I’ll do that,” Gerard exhaled, “God, I hope he’ll be okay.”

“Good luck, Gee,” Mikey said before hanging up.

\--

Gerard got up bright and early to drive into the city. He parked his car in the hospital garage and practically sprinted into the hospital and to the front desk. “Hi, uh, Frank… Iero, I think?”

The lady tapped a few things on her keyboard and handed Gerard a visitor’s badge. “Room 115.”

“Thank you,” Gerard said before slipping down the hall. He slowly crept into Frank’s room and stared down at his unconscious face. Gerard watched his chest rise and fall and frowned.

He took a seat in the chair next to Frank’s bed.

“Hey Frank,” Gerard said to him, “this is probably because you ordered too many of those vanilla iced coffees,” Frank didn’t move-- not like Gerard expected him to, though, “your friend Jamia says you have a crush on me. That’s fine because I think I do, too,” Gerard chewed on his bottom lip, “I really wanted to see you perform and I’m sorry this had to happen to you,” he frowned, “I really am.” Gerard shook his head before standing up and walking out of the room and back to his car.

He drove home and walked into the apartment only to find Mikey kissing a guy Gerard didn’t know.

“Um,” Gerard cleared his throat.

“Gerard!” Mikey pushed the dark haired guy away and instantly turned red, “uh, this is _not_ how I wanted you to meet him, but this is Pete.”

Pete blinked before standing up from the couch and holding his hand out. “Hi, I’m Pete and I am dating your brother.”

Gerard shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Pete nodded before stepping back.

“How’d things go at the hospital?” Mikey asked.

“Fine,” Gerard sighed, “he’s still unconscious if that’s what you’re asking.”

“I’m sorry, Gee,” Mikey frowned. He then turned to Pete and explained the situation.

“Frank,” Pete said, “Frank Iero?”

Gerard blinked. “You know him?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve seen his band a few times,” Pete shrugged, “he has diabetes, you know.”

Gerard looked down at his feet. “I know now.”

Pete shrugged as if to say he was sorry.

“Well, um,” Gerard looked from Mikey to Pete, “it was nice meeting you, Pete.”

“You too, Gerard,” Pete said, “Mikey talks about you a lot.”

Gerard raised an eyebrow and Mikey who shrugged. He turned back around and ran into his bedroom and shut the door. He fell asleep sometime later even though it was only the afternoon.

His phone ringing awoke him. Gerard looked at his alarm clock, noting that it read 4:30PM. He picked up his phone. “Yeah?”

“Gerard,” it was Brendon, “sorry to bother you.”

“It’s fine,” Gerard said, yawning, “what’s up, Brendon?”

“Some girl wants me to give her your number,” Brendon said.

Gerard rubbed his eyes and sat up. “What? What girl?”

“Jamie or Johnnie or--”

“Jamia?” Gerard guessed.

Brendon sighed. “I’m fucking tired, man. Yeah, that was her name,”

“What’d she say?”

“Dunno, she wanted to tell you about your Frank guy,” Gerard could tell Brendon was shrugging.

Gerard perked up. “Okay, you can give her my number. Have her call me.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Thanks, Bren.”

Brendon mumbled something. “Later, Gee.” He hung up leaving Gerard anxious again.

Gerard stared at his phone for about ten minutes before it finally rang. He picked it up after the first ring.

“Gerard?”

“Jamia?”

“It’s Frank,” Jamia breathed, she was panting like she’d been running.

Gerard nervously played with the fabric of his shirt. “How is he?”

“He’s awake and the nurses say he’s doing well,” Jamia said.

“Oh thank God,” Gerard lay back down on his bed, “thanks for telling me.”

“No problem, dude,” Jamia laughed, “you should visit.”

“Today? Again?” Gerard asked.

“If you want.”

“I’m leaving soon,” Gerard hung up and ran a hand through his messy hair. He blurted out that he was leaving to Pete and Mikey and ran out of the apartment in record time before they could even react.

Once Gerard got to the hospital, he spotted Jamia by the front desk. “Jamia!”

“Hey, Gerard,” Jamia smiled warmly.

Gerard grinned at her as he received his visitor’s badge. They walked down the hall and into Frank’s room. “Ar we the only visitors?”

Jamia nodded before turning the doorknob. “Hey Frank, I brought you a present.” She pushed Gerard forward.

“Um, hi Frank,” Gerard stuttered. He bit his lip.

“I’ll be right back,” Jamia said, shutting the door behind them.

Gerard stared at her wide-eyed through the glass window on the door. She only smiled before disappearing down the hall.

“Hey, Gerard,” Frank croaked out, sitting himself up.

“It was all those vanilla iced coffees, wasn’t it?” Gerard blurted out.

Frank frowned before hesitantly nodded.

“Why’d you get it every time, then?” Gerard folded his arms.

Frank looked down at his lap. “I- I get really flustered when I go up to order with you there. The vanilla iced coffee was supposed to be a one time thing, but once you stared at me with your pretty eyes, I couldn’t think straight and I ordered the first thing that came to my mind.”

Gerard stepped closer. “I guess this is my fault then.”

“It’s not,” Frank assured, “it’s mine. I shouldn’t let cute boys do this to me.”

Gerard giggled. “I agree.”

Frank sighed. “You didn’t go to the record store, did you?”

Gerard turned pink. “I did.”

“Fuck, dude, sorry,” Frank mumbled.

“It’s fine,” Gerard said, “I would’ve never known this happened to you,” he looked around the room, “I visited you this morning after Jamia told me what happened at the record store.”

Frank raised his eyebrows. “You did?”

“Yeah,” Gerard chuckled, “you’re pretty when you’re unconscious.”

“That’s creepy, Gerard,” Frank laughed, “but thank you.”

Gerard stared at Frank for a few seconds before asking, “can I kiss you?”

Frank nodded, not having the strength to sit up anymore than he already was.

Gerard leaned down and held Frank’s cheek, kissing Frank on the lips sweetly. He pulled away and looked down at Frank’s face. “Huh.”

“What?” Frank asked.

“Never thought I’d kiss you first in a hospital.”

Frank only smiled.


End file.
